Adventures in Cooking: Domesticated Diva

Cooking is a sport and a talent. Not everyone can play. I think that I am a pretty decent cook. I have the potential to be a great one though. I have a love-hate relationship with cooking. Some days, I am excited about what to cook. Other days, I couldn't care less. Lately, however, I have found a renewed interest in cooking different things. I think I was always just tired of eating the same things day in and day out. I am also a rather picky eater. I blame my Mom for that. I just know what I like.

There are dishes that I will eat in certain restaurants that I've never cooked. One of those meals is Chicken Parmesan. I decided to try my hand at this one. The simple recipe I found here helped tremendously. I purchased my ingredients and got to work. This recipe was so easy to follow. I was done with the prep work and in the oven in less than 20 minutes. I baked it for 30 minutes. The smell wafted throughout the house. I couldn't wait to taste my work. I was impressed with myself. It was so good. I ate it for dinner and lunch the next day. I even fed my brother. He agreed that it was good as well.

Next, I have fallen in love with homemade sugar cookies. I had a taste for some one afternoon. I searched for a recipe. I found one here. My cookies came put perfectly the first try! I was too excited. Since that first night, I have tweaked the recipe to my liking. I have been a baking fool. My nephews love them! They were a huge hit with my fam. I love the fact that days later that the cookies are still soft and chewy. That and taste are the deciding factors in what makes a great cookie to me.

Today, I have tried my hand at lasagna. I have helped make it before. I have watched m aunt make her famous lasagna for years during the holidays. This will technically be my first time cooking it myself. I did not need a recipe for this one. I already knew what to do. I also knew that cheese would be the most important factor for me. I love a cheesy lasagna. I like variety too. I used mozzarella, Parmesan, and cheddar cheeses and lots of it. I layered my pan with lasagna noodles, meat sauce and loads of cheese. I baked it for 30 minutes. The smell was awesome. The taste was even better. I paired it with garlic bread sticks and a salad. The perfect Sunday dinner if I do say so myself. And, I do!! It came out great.



I am sure I will be getting into more cooking soon. I cannot wait. I think I like it more than I have before. It makes me happy to cook. I am more excited about the act of creating meals than the actuality of eating it. Eating is a second thought. I am grateful for the easy recipes that I have found. They have been more than helpful. I am always apprehensive when I am trying something new. Once I have a handle on something, I am sure I won't need to rely on a recipe. I will be able to do it from my head and heart. That is what makes a great cook/chef to me. I cannot wait to cook more and for more people. I am clearly becoming a domesticated diva the older I become. Who would've guessed it??